M&S rings the changes in Speke and Warrington
The retailer is to expand its offer by relocating within Liverpool’s New Mersey Shopping Park, while it will also open a 12,600 sq ft outlet store at Warrington’s Riverside Retail Park.
At Speke’s New Mersey Shopping Park, a popular retail & leisure destination revitalised by a redevelopment including a new Cineworld in recent years, M&S is working with B&Q as the respective retail giants adapt their business models.
As communicated to Liverpool City Council by Burnett Planning on behalf of owner Speke Unit Trust, B&Q’s space requirements have reduced.
On the table now is in this “rightsizing” project is a reworking of an earlier proposal that would have seen the garden entre area of the store become a management centre and three F&B units, to accommodate a relocation by M&S from Unit A5 to a newly subdivided unit.
This will allow M&S to bring together clothing, home and foodhall offers in one location.
In size terms, B&Q would reduce its floorspace from around 103,000 sq ft to 82,000 sq f. M&S, in taking the southern part of the building and extending into the garden centre plot, would occupy just over 60,000 sq ft – 39,000 sq ft in ground floor area and 22,000 sq ft as a mezzanine, reflecting a significant upsiue from its current trading area of around 15,000 sq ft.
A decision notice issued by Warrington Council on 7 February has permitted alterations to the Riverside store, which was previously occupied by DiscountUK.
In a covering letter for the discount-led store, M&S planning manager Philip Marsden said: “Marks & Spencer will soon be opening an M&S ‘Outlet Store’ at Unit 4 Riverside Retail Park. M&S is keen to ensure its new sites are legible, uniform and easily recognisable to its customers. This application is required to ensure there is a high quality and attractive entrance to the proposed store.”
M&S also trades from a large-format store at Gemini, Europa Boulevard; and has a foodhall store in Stockton Heath.
Riverside, to the south-east of Warrington town centre, also houses stores for Pets at Home, Halfords, B&M and ScS. As a whole, the park extends to 158,550 sq ft across 12 units.
As set out in the documents filed with Warrington Council, the plan is for a minor set of works that will bring the store into line with M&S’s requirements: a superfluous door will be bricked in and a more fitting, modern glazed main door area inserted. There will be a new canopy added to the rear goods entrance.
The Speke plans can be viewed on LCC’s planning portal with the reference 24F/3393, while the Warrington reference number is 2024/01568/FUL.
M&S is a great magnet and this expansion is a bit of good news for Speke
after the massive disappointment over AstraZeneca.
M&S as we all know draws in the customers but now their recent fashion range is proving a winner and things look good for them.
By Anonymous
About time! The Speke store does tremendously well and there is a great catchment area around there! Now they just need to up their game in Liverpool City Centre – why do a swanky new store and not have the full compliment – cannot believe they do not stock Jaeger and other high end brands – sort it out please M&S
By Lizzy Baggot
M&S good news for the area, they used to have a purely clothes shop there a few years ago, hopefully signs of a revival?
By Liverpolitis
finally! m&s is coming back! i personally think it would be a better location at junction 9 retail park on the other side of town. junction 9 desperately needs a clothing store!
By bubblegum
Parking?
By George Cook
Need marks and spencer furniture store in Speke. We miss it
By Mary o'carroll